The Humanities Center will again offer a Book Proposal Workshop in 2025. The workshop will be coordinated by Denise McCoskey, Professor of Classics, and will culminate in a campus visit by Adina Popescu, Executive Editor of Yale University Press.
The workshop will take place Tuesday, January 21 through Wednesday, January 22, and it will conclude with a campus visit by Adina Popescu on Thursday, February 20 and Friday, February 21, 2025.
Applicants must agree to send the Humanities Center a draft book proposal of at least 4 single-spaced pages, but no more than 2,500 words, by January 13. All proposals will be circulated to members of the workshop for review and critique. Each participant will write a reader's report on two proposals. Participants will read all proposals and readers' reports and provided constructive feedback on each project. Workshop sessions are designed to give each participant individual feedback on both the proposal and the book it describes. Sessions may also address cover the transition from dissertation to book, the creation and submission of a persuasive book proposal, contacting and working with editors, and repurposing the book proposal for grant applications. The workshop will probably meet in the second week of January; more details will be forthcoming. Lunch will be provided. The second session may conclude with a reception and session on humanities grant applications. (Applicants will be asked to keep open a third day as a make-up day in the event of snow. )
After the workshop, participants will have two weeks to revise their proposals for submission to the editor. They will then have a one-on-one meeting with editor early in the spring semester. The editor will also give a talk on scholarly publishing on the afternoon of Thursday, February 20. Workshop participants are expected to attend. Faculty who complete the entire program will receive $250 in professional funds.
Please note: editors visit our faculty only as consultants, not as acquiring agents. Participants should not expect the editor to review material for publication.
Application is simple. Please submit a one-paragraph statement describing your book, your progress to date and work plan, and the project's relation to your larger career trajectory. Please also specify your position and years of service at Miami. In selecting participants, the Humanities Center Steering Committee will consider scholarly record, progress on the project, and career stage. Please submit your application as a single PDF titled "[your surname] Book Proposal Workshop Application.pdf" to humanitiesgrants@miamioh.edu. Please write “Book Proposal Workshop” in the subject heading of your message.
This program is open to all full-time faculty members in the humanities, broadly construed, including prior participants. Visiting faculty are eligible to apply; in the event of limited space, priority will be given to new applicants and continuing faculty. Participants must agree to meet all of the deadlines given above and comment constructively on the work of other participants, as assigned.
Applications are due Friday, November 8, 2024.
